1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to litter boxes, specifically to such boxes which are used for the storage and disposal of solid and liquid wastes produced by small animals.
2. Description of Prior Art
The Pet Industry commonly supplies consumers with various forms of litter boxes used for the containment of pet wastes. Such boxes are filled with various amounts of litter (ground clay) with additives for smell and absorbency to provide a place for the small animals to relieve themselves. The odor from the boxes and the daily maintenance of removing the small animal wastes have consumers looking for a better way.
Inventors have created several types of litter and litter boxes that have improved the odor and disposal problems however they are limited to daily use. Higgins U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,360 (1984) discloses a disposable litter box that has a formed removable top and sides that can support an animal during use. The removable top can be repositioned for disposal. This use of this box is typical of most litter boxes where they require manual cleaning or disposal after each use and provide no odor control. Colborn, Coyne, Emrie and Monk U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,231 (1981) for a clay material impregnated with a crystal which when scratched or wet will give off a pleasant aroma. This is fine for odor control but waste removal is still a daily chore. Gordon U.S. Pat. No. D314,254 (1990) shows a hand held scoop with elongated slots to allow litter to fall through while still containing the waste material. This manual device is used daily for the removal of waste.
The several types of litter boxes and litter material known in use today suffer from a number of disadvantages:
(a) The main component of the litter box is litter. The soiled litter has to be removed and replenished daily. In some cases the litter must be replaced after each use or the small animal will not use the box. The result is a dirty carpet or floor.
(b) Litter boxes require the use of a scoop or spoon to remove the waste material left by the small animal. This is a job most owners do not relish.
(c) Litter boxes need daily maintenance and this may be required during any time of the day or night. The resulting odor of a deposit can stop any party or any household activity fast.
(d) A weekend trip would require the use of a kennel or taking your small animal along which may be an inconvenience.
(e) Toxoplasmosis an infection of mammals, birds and reptiles that is also common in humans and is especially dangerous for pregnant women, can be transmitted by breathing contaminated dust particles from litter or handling soiled litter and cat feces during daily maintenance of the litter box.
(f) Cleaning of the sides of the litter box to remove any traces of waste must be done after each use.